Posted by: Jack Mankin (MrBatspeed@aol.com) on Sat Oct 27 19:14:53 2007

>>> Jack-

I think the front leg and hips open when the bat starts to turn back toward the catcher.

This movement is synched by the lower body following the lead of the upper body, specifically, the back arm and lead leg externally rotating together and then the lead arm internally rotating as the back leg stays internally rotated,turning open as the hips turn.

The hips open and the bat turns and the shoulders stay back between the two during prelaunch torque (body coils to about 15 degrees of hip/shoulder separation/xfactor accoring to Zig's motionanalysis) then continue resisting/staying back by tilt at initiation (with additional 12 degrees on average of xfactor "stretch" according to Zig
s measurements). <<<

Hi Tom

This site has always maintained that a batter can attain 20 to 30 degrees of separation during the inward turn and preparation of the launch position (Pre-launch torque). But, as I pointed out earlier, when hip rotation is initiated, further separation is not necessary for generating bat speed. It may be some hitter’s style to obtain greater separation while other equally good hitters do not. If greater separation were necessary to generate power and quickness, we would see it in the mechanics of a power hitter like Bonds or a 3000-hits leader like Rose.

Soon I will post clips of the two, and like I said – the viewer can judge for himself or herself.

Jack Mankin